The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-07
A SLAYER OF MANY MEN.
THE STORY OF A GAMBLER THAT
OUTDOES BORDER ROMANCE.


on Account of the Debtors Lava
Fight to the Death With Pistols in a
Sleeping Room in Memphis-Many
Othor Thrilling Encounters.
WASHINGTON, Aug. CO notice" said
gentleman who formerly lived in TenneS-
see. .'that the dispatches from Fort Smith,
Ark. state that celebrated gambler named
Doran had been recently woundsd in row
there. and that his recovery was doubtful.
This man Doran has a history. His full
name is Stephen Alexander Dorian He was
born in Kentucky. and was about 10 years
of age when the war broke out. He served
as a private in Morgan's command early in
the war. and afterwards commanded COM
pany of cavalry He was an ideal cavalry
man. After the war no went into business
in Atlanta, Ga, where he remained for
few years, and at last, through the fault of
his PARTNER. he failed His creditors had
him arrested under the Georgia debtors
law. and the Sheriff started to take him to
iail On the way to prison they stopped III
a drug store and went into back room Tor
soda water. Doran locked the door, drew
a six-shooter from his back pocket and
forced his captors TO throw up their hands.
and fastened them together, walked out ami
left them there From Atlanta proceeded
to Memphis, Tenn, where he fell among
bad associates and into bad habits. Two
Georgia officers went TO Memphis and at
tempted to get a requisition for hlm from
the Governor of Tennessee. Failing i'll this
thew started about connecting scheme to
kidnap him. He heard of it and ot once
consulted lawyer. the Hon. Casey Young,
who advised him that the officers had no
authority to take him back. He then mott
fed them that if they made any attempt to
capture him he would kill both,
and advised them to leave town. They
left. Subsequently he got into "A
difficulty with Col. Francis E. Whitfield,
wealthy resident of Memphis, about trifing
matter the result of which was that Doran
put a card in the Memphis ArdidHche de
nouncing Col Whitfield and his son, Capt.
Edwin Whitfield, highly respected and
courageous young man. The following
morning Young Whitfield, accompanied by
friend, went TO Doran's room and knocked
at the door, Doran was still in bed, and,
supposing it to be q servant, arose and
opened the door. On discovering Whitfield
and his friend he comprehended the situa-
tion at once and opened the door wide
enough to admit Whitfield and instantly
closed it before he could be followed by his
friend. Whitfield had pistol in his hand
and Doran sprang for his, which was under
his pillow.
FATAL DUEL.
''Seven or eight shots were fired in rapid
succession when the door was burst open
by the police Whitfield was found dead, shot
through the heart and hit in two or three
other places. Doran was unframed. Whit
field had large and influential family con-
nections and stood high in public eStima
ton while Doran was stranger and his as
socistions were such as to give him little
social standing or influence. There was
great excitement and talk Of lYnching Do
ran, but he met the danger coolly; giving
notiue that if the Sheriff would furnish him
with arms he would undertake TO repulse
any assault that might be made on the jail.
He remained in prison without an effort To
get bail for some two or three
weeks. When he went promptly to trial
before the criminal court at Memphis, and
was defended by the Hon. Casey Young
and George CAN'T, and was prosecuted with
great vigor by Edwin Nj. Yerger and j. f.
Sale, then two of the most distinguished
criminal lawyers in Tennessee. After an
exciting trial of twenty-seven days, inter
speised with many dramatic incidents, the
jury rendered a verdict of acquittal with
out leaving their seats, the plea of self
defense relied upon having been fully made
out As Doran left the court room aftor
his acquttal and was walking down the
Rayner Whitfield, younger
brother of Edwin, took post in drug store
across the street and leveled a double
barrel shotgun upon him but was prevented
from firing it for the moment by reason of
Mr. Young being between him and Dorian.
Before he could get an unobstructed shot n
police officer had seized his gun. Doran,
undisturbe1 by this, continued down the
street with Mr.. Young until he had reached
the steps leading to Young's office, where
he encountered Col. Eugene Whitfield
another brother of Edwin, who, the moment
ne saw Doran coming, drew pistol Be
fore he could present it Doran had
Colts revolver -ievcled directly
in his face. Mr.. Young again
stepped between the contestants and direct
en- Doran to go on into his Office. After
these incidents Doran's counsel advised him
70 leave the city at once, rs if he remained
he would either be killed by Whitfields
brother OF be compelled tn kin them This
he refused to do, declaring his purpose to
remain, and if forced to de it, to fight the
ssr1rS Whitfield family, either slngly or
collectively. Finally, however, he was pre-
vailed upon to leave and some months later
he wenk to Texas
TWO MORE VICTIMS.
"So9n after his arrival there he became
involved in another tragic affair. Two
policemen entered his room and attempted
10 arrest a SICK 1rleDu WHO was stopping
with him. Doran, finding they had no war
rant, ordered them to leave the room. A
fight ensued at close quarters with six
shooters, at the end of which the two police
men were dead, while Doran was again I'M
touched For this be was arrested and re-
manned in jail for nearly year, but upon
trial was again acquitted ON the ground of
sef-defense. Some months after this he be
came involved in desperate street fight in
Shreveport. La with noted gambler and
desperate of that locality In this encoun-
ter Doran shot his antagonist through the
head, killing him Instantly, while as usual
three shots Tired by the other failed 90 touch
him. He was again tried and acquitted
Subsequent TO this he made his appear
ance at Malvern Ark. town situated on
the Iron Mountain Railroad. Here it was
said, he was the leadcr of two or three
gamblers and Adventures, who were plying
their vocation TO the injury OF the town.
They were accordingly, in Arkansas style,
notified toleave. This Doran refused 10 do,
and defied the legal authorities of the town
aS well as the citizens. Finally n mob gath
cred TO eNpcl him and his friends, 10y force,
ii necessary. But Doran, arming himself
with double-barrelled shotgun and n brace
OF six shooters, deficd his assailants. Find
ing they were unable 20 cope with him. tho
authorities Of Malvern requested Governor
Garland to send military force to their as
sistance, and it was not until a company CO